Open-pool Australian lightwater reactor, architectural structure
The Open-pool Australian Lightwater Reactor is a research facility in New South Wales that produces radioisotopes for medical applications and conducts neutron experiments. The facility uses an open pool design with sixteen fuel assemblies submerged under approximately 13 meters of water for cooling and radiation shielding.
The facility went critical in 2006 and began operations in 2007, replacing the older HIFAR reactor. It emerged from Australia's scientific commitment since the Atomic Energy Act of 1953 and is now operated by ANSTO.
The facility operates in cycles of about one month with five-day maintenance breaks, running approximately 300 days per year. Direct visitor access is not permitted, but educational programs and information sessions are offered for students and community groups.
The facility produces approximately 80 percent of Australia's medical radioisotopes and is often called a neutron factory because of its output. A 2001 Greenpeace protest with 46 activists drew public attention to safety concerns, though the reactor continued operations afterward.
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